2 children die after fasting for two days

Two children have died of dehydration and one other girl and two boys are in a critical condition after undergoing a prayer and fasting for 48 hours in Chikwawa.

Officer in-charge for Chikwawa Police Station, McMillan Nyirongo, said the deceased six-year-old Mphatso Gibson and ten-year-old Liana Misanjo who belonged to the Apostolic Church went to pray at the mountain with their parents where they spent two days without eating or drinking.

Nyirongo said the children were taken home to Chibadwa Village Tradiotional Authority (T/A) Makhuwira in the district after parents observed that they were getting weak and sickly.

“The church elders allegedly continued praying for the children since they do not allow their church members to go to the hospital and the two eventually died,” Nyirongo said.

He said they have since arrested the father of late Mphatso Gibson, Matope Gibson, who is also a pastor and four other pastors for the church.

They will appear in court to answer charges of negligence and manslaughter.

Police have condemned the behaviour by the church describing the involvement of children as young as six years in fasting and stopping members from seeking medical assistance from hospital as evil.